A2 English

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A2 English Literature Poetry - Carol Ann Duffy

• Beachcomber

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Beachcomber

• Structure first.
• Five irregular sections
• Lines of irregular length and no set rhythm
  pattern
• Mainly short lines with one or two very long
  ones.
• No apparent rhyme scheme.

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Beachcomber

• The Sequence
• The Title refers to the girl described in the
  poem.
• Double meaning in so far as it describes her
  activities but could also mean a tramp.
• The poem is recollecting a distant past.

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Beachcomber

• First Section
• The poet speaks directly to You.
• Who is you?
• First line suggests extreme concentration in
  order to do something but what?

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Beachcomber

• scare yourself is an unusual idea followed by
  an almost but not quite familiar expression
  within an inch of the heart Is this a weak
  heart, is you an old person?
• Age is then referred to directly in the next
  lines, asking yous age.
• Is it important?

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Beachcomber

• Enjambment to next section.
• Introduces the subject of the poem the child.
• Sepia suggests an ancient photograph but, by
  saying not in sepia the poet suggests
  remembering a living child, not a picture.

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Beachcomber

• Lives on a line all to itself suggests that it
  is important to see her as a living being. Life
  is important.
• The next line identifies it as a girl.
• Then places her geographically makes it clear
  the child is alone.
• The bucket spade suggest she is occupied,
  therefore alone, not lonely.

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Beachcomber

• List of things in the bucket. (Duffy likes lists
  where else do we see them?)
• How the crabs were caught is a typical childhood
  thing, fishing for fun, not purpose.
• Dont move. An instruction to the reader.
• Trow think, believe.

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Beachcomber

• Third Section
• Begins with another instruction to the reader.
• Getting them to focus getting a clear
  recollection.
• No need to externalise the sound by describing it
  just hold firmly on to the thought.
• Image of platinum metallic reflective.

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Beachcomber

• Earth seemed to turn away play on words earth
  does turn in real terms but does this also mean
  turn away, reject? And, if so, from whom?
  (Reader, child, writer?)
• Then abrupt change away from the scene to the
  child itself.

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Beachcomber

• Fourth Section.
• First line emphasises that there is a reason for
  this focus, followed by urging the reader you
  to think harder, concentrate.
• We have returned to the narrative about the
  childs actions.
• Short phrases recollecting real childhood
  experience.
• Present tense makes it live.

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Beachcomber

• Listening to the shell is another childish play
  activity listening for the sea.
• Speaking directly to the you.
• Question Answer
• Answers on behalf of you confirming

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Beachcomber

• Fifth Section
• Reminder that it is just a memory.
• Nearly there is this a case of so near and
  yet so far or so near and no nearer?
• Is the writer putting the restrictions on?

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Beachcomber

• Open your eyes having been closed in order to
  concentrate back to reality the here and now.
• Who do the hands belong to? The you?
• Is the you an old person? Wheres the evidence?
• Why cant they touch the child?

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Beachcomber

• Time distance again? (like which other poem?)
• Another list- this time of all the symbols of
  childhood the you can no longer reach.
• This list summarises the things that have been
  mentioned before.

16
Beachcomber

• Repetition of What puts force into the
  question.
• Followed by of all people makes it clear the
  you has nothing in common, nothing left to say
  to the child.
• Why?
• Is you the adult remembering being the child?

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Beachcomber

• Is you someone who harmed the child?
• Asks the question appears to wait for an
  answer gets none and treats the silence as
  agreement that you has indeed nothing to say.
• If so, why?
• What should you want to say?.

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Beachcomber

• Even if you could say something, what could you
  say?
• Warnings, explanations, advice?
• What could you say that the child would
  understand?

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Beachcomber

• General points.
• Short, simple words appropriate to to a child or
  an old person.
• Equivocal meanings.
• Questions left unanswered.
• Quite menacing.
• Isolating key words phrases